Hola. Pues, esta semana ha sido una semana de......oh, sorry.
*ahem*
Hello. Well, this week has been a week of answered prayers, surprises, and unexpected progress. It sounds like a novel (hence the subject line).
First of all, the most exciting news.....I am no longer a branch president! The transfers aren't until next week and I didn't go anywhere. Remember a while ago when I said Hermano Franco was potentially going to be the new branch president? Well, after lots of calls to the mission presidency, interviews, recommends and lots of other stuff, he was sustained yesterday! President Guevara, the first counselor of the mission, came to our branch yesterday (unannounced, I might add) and did the interview. He hasn't been set apart yet, and won't be for a week or so yet, but it's all official. He's super excited.
Honestly, if I do end up leaving this transfer, I'm going to be so sad. We've all heard a million times that when you serve someone, you love them. I never really understood that until I was a branch president. Now I get it. You just can't help it! Even the lumpy old grouchy guy who falls asleep in the lessons--I love that guy! Not to say I'm leaving for sure or anything. I just imagine that's how it'll be. I would absolutely love to stay here for a little while longer though!
The biggest miracle happened yesterday at church. But I'll explain a couple of things first.
We've been teaching a lady named Lupita. Remember her? She's the woman with the creepy black dog story. When we first knocked on her door a few weeks ago, she came to the window and started to talk to us. She put on a very defensive front, like "I know what you guys believe and I'll have no part of it!". Well, we talked about a few things, but I felt like we should share the story of the Restoration. So that's what we did. I told about Joseph Smith and Elder Osorio talked about the Book of Mormon, right there on her front porch. She looked totally shocked. She invited us to come back, so we did. She made us food (that was the creepy dog night). After that happened, she was a little more receptive to what we had to say, and she opened up a lot. She told us that she dreams the future a lot, and that she's always dreaming stuff. She is VERY involved in her religion (doesn't wear makeup, wears a skirt, wears a veil when she prays....that sort of stuff) and she knows a lot about the Bible. I don't want to brag, but it's kind of on me because Elder Osorio's knowledge is mostly in the Book of Mormon. That's nerve wracking when she asks us things about the Lost Tribes of Israel or the Law of Moses....
At first, it was more like, "Let's see what you guys believe." But now, she's starting to understand and ask questions. Even though there are still some things she won't budge on (that God, Jesus, and the Holy Ghost are one person, more than anything) she's softening a little bit.
Okay. Now I can explain the miracle. So, last week we were in her house teaching her, and Elder Osorio started to invite her to church. My little Elder Crabb mind started racing, wondering how it was going to work. How was she going to answer? Is she going to get freaked out? She is very involved in her church, what if she can't go? To my surprise, she said "Okay, sounds good." That did surprise me, but everyone says they'll go. What REALLY surprised me was that she actually went!! WOW! (One of our biggest challenges in this area is getting people to go to church.) She seemed to enjoy the talks, and during the closing hymn ("I Believe in Christ") she cried. In a big ol' ward with a talented organist and a congregation that sounds like a choir, that's not too hard. But in a tiny congregation of 24, without piano, that really means something.
Next, she passed to the Sunday School class, which I gave. It was about symbols. I explained about how the Exodus of Moses and the Israelites can be compared to our life on Earth (Egypt, Red Sea, pillar of fire, wilderness, Mount Sinai = The World, Baptism, Holy Ghost, Endure to the End, the Temple), about Jonah and the Whale, and Abraham and Isaac and all the symbolism there. It was the perfect lesson for her. She was totally captivated. If that wasn't good enough, a few women from the district came to visit for Relief Society. The Relief Society President taught lesson 21 from the George Albert Smith book (the real lesson was 17) but God knows everything. Lesson 21 is all about how to raise your family and help your kids grow and everything. She was talking and giving lots of opinions and reading right along with everyone. That's when President Guevara from the mission presidency got there. He asked me, pointing at Lupita, "Wow, she's really powerful. How long has she been a member?" I told him, smiling, that not only was she not a member, it was her first Sunday. He was totally surprised! Anyway, at the end of the class she asked if she could borrow the George Albert Smith manual to read next week's lesson before Sunday. I talked to the Relief Society president after church and she said that God had put her in the perfect Sacrament meeting. The sisters from the district were there, the lessons were tailored directly to her, just everything worked out perfectly. She said she'll be there next week without fail.
If you'd have asked me the day we found her what I thought her chances were of getting baptized, I would have laughed. Now? I wouldn't doubt if she was a member before November. I believe in miracles. =)
I know now more than ever that God is aware of every single person on this planet. He knows what they pray for and he wants the best for them. It seems impossible, because there's so many of us. But it's true. Everyone has the right to get to know their Father, but he already knows us.
Love you all. Keep Lupita in your prayers. Pray that she gets an answer about the Book of Mormon. I know she's praying about it, and I want her to get baptized SO much!
Have a fantastic week!
Elder Crabb
PS This Saturday was Independence day. Obviously nothing too crazy happened, because I didn't even mention it once. But just so you know. We had to go home an hour early, but just as a precaution. Next week: Wild Tarantula Photo?! Stay tuned!
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